And the Kitchen Sink

We all have those recipes, the ones that are the basis of our culinary repertoire. The ones we go back to when there's not much in the pantry, when we really don't feel like cooking.

For me, one of those recipes is simply buttered noodles. A little salt, a little garlic, lots of butter, and I'm happy.

Later on, I learned a recipe that added shallots, crushed red pepper, breadcrumbs, and a sunny side up egg to that mix. It's still a favorite. Here's that recipe, dressed up with some spinach and cheese. It was everything that was in my fridge that night.

Everything Pasta

Everything in this recipe (especially the spice quantities) is a suggestion. Don't like something? Leave it out. Like it a lot? Use a little more. Want to serve more people? Use more pasta, and figure one egg per person. You'll also need more breadcrumbs. The only thing that's really not negotiable is to salt the pasta water really well. Like a tablespoon of salt, at least. Trust me, if you do, the pasta will taste so good you'll be running back to the pantry to make sure you bought gluten-free pasta. It's that good.

Spread the breadcrumbs out on a baking sheet and season with parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Toss with one tablespoon olive oil. Put in the oven, checking every three to five minutes and re-spreading the contents of the pan each time you check. Remove when the breadcrumbs are starting to brown.

Meanwhile, start the pasta water. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add in the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring frequently. Strain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.

While waiting for the pasta water to boil, heat one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper, sauteeing until the onions begin to be translucent, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add in the spinach, stirring until it just begins to wilt. Remove the contents of the pan to two bowls, then wipe down the pan. Sprinkle lemon juice over the shallot mixture.

Add remaining olive oil to pan and cook the two eggs sunny side up.

Toss the pasta with the shallot mixture, breadcrumbs, and cheese. Top each bowl with one egg. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.